Contact-terminal bank



A. H. ADAMS.

CONTACT TERMINAL BANK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31, 1916 1,334,276. Pamnted Mar. 23, 1920. /7 4- 3' Z5 /9 2/ /.7 /9 1 0 a 0 o 71,

UNITED sTArns PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. ADAMS, OF SPARKILL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CONTACT-TERMINAL BANK.

type

tion is the PI'OVlSlOIl of means for readily and cheaply connecting the corresponding contacts of the several switches of a group.

Another feature of the invention is the arrangement of the multiple wiring so that the both ends of each of the contact strips may be employed as switch contacts.

Another feature of the present invention is to so design the contact strips that all the contacts in a switch in a level, that is, the ten or more contacts engageable by the same brush, may be originally formed and assembled as a unitary punching.

A further feature of the invention resides in the method of assemblin the contact bank wherein the correspon ing series of contacts of a group of switches are all mounted on an insulating strip such as fiber board, are then multiply wired, and the several units thus formed are assembled by superposin the units on each other with insulating fa ric therebetween, the Whole being then secured together in any desired. man-- ner.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of soldering terminals which are formed and mounted in a manner similar to that of the contact strips.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a layer of contact strips showing a series of contact strips, as originally formed in a unitary structure, and the strip of insulating fabric to which they are secured. Soldering terminal strips are also disclosed in this figure.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the insulating strip and the contact strips Specification ot-Letters Patent.

Application filed March 31, 1916. Serial No. 88,119.

One of the features of the present inven- Patented Mar. 23, 1920.

shown in Fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the multiple wiring and the manner of forming1 the lugs in the contact strips to which t e multipling wires are secured.

Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to that of Fig. 1, showing the cover or clamping plate 111- position and with the surplus portions of the stampings removed.

Fig. 4. is a free face view of a contact bank made in accordance with the present lnvention; and Fig. 5 isa cross section of a portion of the same, illustrating the arrangement of the insulatin sheets, multiple wires, contact strips, sol ering terminals and one of the securing lugs carried on the contact strips.

Referring now to the drawings, 1, 2, 3, etc., indicate the contact strips which are arranged to be engaged by one of the brushes of the switching device with which the contact bank is designed to be employed. Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that those strips are all formed as an integral punching, the ends being secured together by the connecting end portions 11 and 12. The strips 1, 2, 3, etc., in Fig. 1 represent a portion of the contact series at the corresponding level in an adjacent switch.

It is understood that in practice, a group of switches will be arranged on the same bench side by side, and by the present invention, the contact banks for such a group of switches will all be formed as an integral structure in the nature of a greater or compound bank. The several corresponding series of'contacts arranged 'for use with such a group of switches Wlll be all mounted on a single sheet or strip of insulating fabric 13 as a fiber board. The multipling wires 0 a etc., are positioned on the side of the insulating strip 13 opposite to the contact strips 1, 2, 3, etc., as clearly shown in Fig. 2; and each wire is secured to the corresponding contact strips at the several switches in the group. The multipling wires a a etc., are secured to the contact strips 1, 2, 3, etc., by means of the lugs or catches 14 and 15 struck up from said contact stri s in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 2. he lug 14 may be merely turned outwardly. Lug 15 will be formed in the nature of a book, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The lugs 14 will serve to prevent the multipling Wires a a etc., when drawn taut from escaping from the hooks 15. The hooked projection and upturned lugs 14 and 15, of thecorresponding contact strips in the several. switches in a group, will be formed at the same distances from the ends of the said contact strips, so that the multipling wires A A etc., will assume a substantially parallel relation to each other. This arrangement is clearly disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The sheet of insulation 13 is provided with perforations 16 to receive the lugs 14 and 15 of the several strips, and the wires a a etc., are arranged on the side of the strip 13 opposite to the contact strips.

Soldering terminals for the multipling wires may be formed in substantially the same manner as are the series of contact strips, that is, they may be all made as an integral punching, but preferably they will be formed as two separate punchings l7 and 18. The projecting portions 6 12 etc., of each will alternate, as shown in Fig. 1.

The strip 17 will be provided with the soldering terminals 6 to inclusive, which are the terminals of the five multipling wires a to a connected to the 1st to 5th strips from the left in the contact bank. The multiples b to I) inclusive, stamped integral with the strip 18, will form the terminals of the multipling wires leading to 6th to 10th contacts of the switches.

The assembling of the several integral series of contact strips on an insulating strip 13, may be facilitated by stamping the strip 13 with a series of notches 19, and providing the contact strip members with punched-up portions or ears 21 to be positioned therein. Thus, the relative relation of the contact strip units and'of the individual contact strips to each other will be definitely determined. By rebending or flattening down the ears 21 so as to grip the insulation 13, the contact strips may be solidly secured thereto.

In assembling the contact bank the several unitary contact strip structures, as well as the soldering terminal punchings 17 and 18, will all'be mounted on the sheet 13 of insulation by inserting the cars 21 thereof in the notches or openings 19 in the strip 13. The multipling wires of, a etc., will then each be threaded into the hooks 15 of its corresponding strips including one of the soldering terminal strips. The wire will then be drawn taut and secured in any desired manner. The structure thus formed may be termed a multipled contact strips unit. 7

The bank is then formed by superposing these units and layers of insulation. The

units carrying the contact strips are so arranged in the bank, that the sides of the insulating sheets on which are the multipling wires, are toward each other. Spacing blocks 20 may be positioned between each pair of units and the next. It may be here explained that the bank herein disclosed is designed for use with a switch employing but ;two movable contacts or brushes, although obviously it is equally adaptable to switches employing any desired number of contacts.

The bank formed of superposed strips 22 of insulation and the contact strips units just described will be firmly clamped together by means of bolts or rods 23 and the end or cover plates24, in a manner which is well understood. The rods 23 may be arranged to pass through openings 25 punched in the strips 13 of insulation, so that the relative arrangement of these various parts to each other will be definitely determined.

After the bank has been assembled, as just described the surplus connection portions 11, 12, 17 and 18 will be cut away in any desired manner as by the use of a milling or shearing machine. This leaves the strips 1, 2, 3, etc., each with a switch contact at each end. Thus, switches may be mounted on .opposite sides of the bank. The projecting portions of the insulating strip 13 need not necessarily be removed, but may be left to project to the end of the contacts as the brushes engage the contact strips of a pair on their opposite or remote sides, as shown in Fig. 5. But in order that dust and dirt may not collect thereon. it is preferred to have it cut away.

By the above described manner of formation, a contact bank is provided which is eXceedinr ly cheap to manufacture and in which the multiple wiring and the assembling may be accomplished. by comparatively unskilled labor, as the positions of the various parts are definitely determined by the notches 19 in the strips 13 and the projecting portions or cars 21 of the segments mounted thereon.

What is claimed-is:

1. In a contact bank, a contact strip, a hooked projectionand an upturned lug both integral with said strip, and a conductor secured to said strip by means of the said hooked projection and lug.

2. In a contact bank, contact strips each having a hooked projection and an upturned lug integral therewith, and a conductor secured to each strip by its projection and lug.

3. In a contact bank for a group of switches, groups of contact strips in said bank, each str1p having a hooked pr0jection and an upturned lug both integral therewith, and multipling wires each secared to corresponding strips of said groups of strips by their respective hooked projections and lugs.

4. In a contact bank for a group of switches, superposed layers of contact strips and insulating fabric, hooked members, one projecting from each of said strips, perforations in an adjacent layer of insulating fabric, each being arranged to receive the hooked member on a contact strip, and conductors positioned within said hooked member.

5. In a contact bank for a group of switches, superposed layers of oups of contact strips and insulating fabric, hooked members, one projecting from each of said strips, perforations in an adjacent layer of insulating fabric, each being arranged to receive the hooked member on a contact strip and conductors each being positioned ,WitlllIl the hooked members of corresponding contact strips of said group of strips.

6. In a contact bank for a group of switches, superposed layers of groups of contact strips and insulating fabric, hooked members, one projecting from each of said strips, perforations in an adjacent layer of insulating fabric, each being arranged to receive the hooked member on a contact strip, and conductors on the opposite side of said adjacent layer of insulating fabric, each conductor being positioned within the hooked members of corresponding contact strips of said groups of strips.

7. In a contact bank, a sheet of insulating material having a hole therein, a contact strip on one side of said sheet, a hooked projection integral with said strip extending intosaid hole, and a conductor on the opposite side of said strip and positioned within the hook of said projection.

8. In a contact bank, a sheet of insulating material having plurality of openings therein, contact strips adjacent to one face of said sheet, each having a hooked projection integral therewith, extending into one of said openings and conductors on the opposite side of said sheet positioned within the hooks of said projection respectively.

9. In a contact bank, a series ofsubstantially parallel contact strips formed at their ends with integral removable connecting portions.

10. A unit for use in forming contact banks, consisting of a sheet of insulating material and a plurality of series of contact strips secured thereto, the strips of each series being formed with integral removable connecting portions.

11. In a contact bank, a series of contact strips, and a connecting member therefor integral with said strips.

12. A unit for use in forming contact banks consisting of a sheet of insulating material, provided with a plurality of spaced positioning openings, a plurality of series of terminal strips, the strips of each series being formed with connecting portions and insulating material with spaced positioning openings, providing each of sald unitary structures with positioning ears, securlng a plurality of said unitary structures to each strip of insulation by placing said ears in said opening and rebending said ears upon said strips of insulation, superposing the units thus formed each on another and clamping them together.

14. The method of making a contact bank for an electrically actuated switching device which consists in forming all of the contact strips of a series or level from a single sheet of metal with connecting portions therebetween to provide a unitary structure, superposing said unitary structures and layers of insulation each on the other, clamping the bank thus formed in position and cutting away said connecting portions.

15. The method of making a contact bank which consists of forming an insulating sheet with perforations, forming all the contact strips of a series from a single sheet of metal with connecting portions to provide a unitary structure, providing each contact strip with an integral catch member, positioning said catches in said perforations respectively, securing multipling conductors in said catches, arranging the structures thus formed in parallel relation with layers of insulation therebetween, and clamping them all together.

16. The method of making a contact bank which consists of forming the contact strips of a series with connecting portions to provide a unitary structure, securing a plurality of such unitary structures to a sheet of insulating material, electrically connecting the corresponding contact strips of said plurality of unitary structures, arranging the units thus formed in substantially parallel relation with the intervening layers of insulating material, clamping all together and cutting away said connectin portions.

17. A unit for use in orming a terminal bank which consists of a strip of insulating material, a plurality of series of contact ter-,

minal strips secured thereto, a series of soldering terminal strips secured thereto, and multipling wires, each being joined to corre sponding strips of all said series.

18. A unit for use in forming terminal banks which consists of a strip of insulating material, a plurality of series of contact terminal strips secured thereto, each series being formed with an integral connecting portion, a series of soldering terminal strips connected to said strip ofinsulating material, a plurality of said soldering terminal strips being formed with integral connecting portions, and multipling wires, each bein joined to corresponding strips of all said 10 series.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of March, A. D. 1916.

- ARTHUR H. ADAMS. 

